05 February 2024 , 18:00
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Sony is working on a brand new PlayStation handheld that could feature an AMD chip and be able to run games natively, recent rumours suggest.
With fans already blindsided by the announcement of Death Stranding 2 at the PlayStation State of Play event, it seemed that we'd already had our fill of PlayStation news for the last week. However, rumours have since surfaced which suggest that Sony is potentially working on another new PlayStation handheld for its PS6 family, which will, in a similar fashion to the well-loved PSP and PS Vita handhelds, run games natively.
The rumours come courtesy of Moore's Law Is Dead on YouTube, who posted a video in which they claim "100%" that a new PlayStation handheld is in development. In the video, in the section entitled 'PlayStation Vita 2 Leak', Moore's Law Is Dead claims that he spoke with a developer over at Sony who provided him with this information.
In the video, the YouTuber states that"Sony is not just asking AMD, they are paying for active development" of the custom AMD APU that will feature in the handheld. However, it's also claimed that the handheld's development is still in the early stages, at least two years away from launch, and that there's no guarantee that this device will even launch at all, as Sony has not even decided how it could look.
Moore's Law is Dead goes on to say that the PlayStation handheld could have full native backwards compatibility with all PS4 digital titles, as it would run at a similar performance level to the old console, and that PS5 games could then see a patch be applied afterwards to allow them to run on the device.
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Portable or Portal?
Sony has had varying success in the handheld market, with its renowned PlayStation Portable, otherwise known as the PSP, stealing the hearts of many gamers when it was released back in 2005. It was designed to compete with the Nintendo DS by allowing gamers to play console games on the go, and it did just that.
When rumours first surfaced about a new PlayStation handheld last year, which was eventually named PlayStation Portal, of course, I couldn't help but feel excited. After the launches of the Logitech G Cloud and Lenovo Legion Go devices, the handheld market needed a shot in the arm and if any company could do that, it would be Sony. Or so I thought.
Despite enjoying my time with the PlayStation Portal, it's something I ultimately could not recommend. A cloud streaming device, which you can only use at home if you want a good experience? Come on Sony.
The new PlayStation handheld needs to be everything I hoped the Portal would be, an upgraded version of the PSP that I hold so near and dear. I want to be able to run games natively without the need for an internet connection so that I can play on the go. And, more specifically, PlayStation exclusive games, giving those who don't have access to or don't want to buy a full PS5 console, the ability to play titles that they otherwise won't have access to.
The ability to run games natively is crucial, but this needs to be paired with an ergonomic and lightweight device as well as a long battery life, just like the PSP and PS Vita. In other words, If we are granted a new PlayStation handheld, it needs to be everything that the PlayStation Portal isn't.